1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to ski bindings and particularly to the type of ski binding which allows free movement of the foot relative to the ski for moving cross-country or up hills, and which is known as "alpine" skiing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional releasable ski bindings having a pivotal toepiece are well known. These downhill bindings provide very rigid, but highly controllable, releasable attachment of a rigid boot to the ski for high-speed downhill skiing. The downhill skis associated with these bindings are of the type that are provided with steel edges and, when compared with cross-country skis, are relatively short.
A second type of well-known ski is the long, thin, lightweight wooden ski which generally comes without steel edges and which is provided with a binding that allows free movement of the heel of the boot relative to the ski. Generally, a soft, flexible boot is worn with this type of ski to enable the skier to walk with the ski. Ease of walking is an important criteria for cross-country skis to avoid undue fatigue.
A third type of ski is known as an "alpine ski" and uses an "alpine binding." Examples of alpine bindings are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,002,354 and 3,908,971. This type of ski is quite similar to a conventional downhill ski and has a binding which can lock the heel into a releasable but tight position for downhill skiing, but allows removal of the heelpiece from the boot for free flexing of the boot when going cross-country or uphill. When it is time to ski back down the hill, the heelpiece is again attached to the boot to attempt to provide a normal downhill, releasable ski binding arrangement. In some instances, an entire plate is attached to the toepiece, and this plate can be released from the heel of the binding so that the user, if walking uphill, can flex his foot and lift the heel of the binding off the ski. Although alpine bindings do provide both a toepiece and a heelpiece, the releasing quality is not as safe as that of a conventional downhill ski binding due to the necessity of providing for a longterm release or separation of the heelpiece for cross-country and uphill walking.
Since alpine skiing is not done with the frequency of conventional packed-slope, downhill skiing, the skier seldom wants to sacrifice the advantageous safety release of good downhill bindings; and thus, to accommodate the occasional alpine skiing, must buy a complete second set of skis fitted with alpine bindings.
One attempt to reduce the cost of alpine skiing and improve safety is illustrated in the binding shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,756. The binding shown in this patent employs a plate which bridges over the heelpiece of a conventional downhill binding. The front of the plate is supported by a pivoting axle which is carried on a vertical web. This web is then attached to a mounting plate which is releasably attached to the ski between the toepiece and heelpiece of the conventional downhill binding by a pair of clamps. There are several difficulties in the use of the binding shown in this patent. First of all, the plate is pivoted between the toepiece and the heelpiece of the conventional downhill binding. This causes the center of gravity of the skier to be far rearward on the ski, causing difficulty in walking the skis. Secondly, the placement of the clamps for attaching the forward part of the pivotable part of the plate is located between the toepiece and heelpiece, which interferes with the necessary low-friction engagement between the downhill ski boot and ski when fastened tightly in the downhill binding.
It is thus an object of this invention to provide an alpine binding which positions the pivot point of the alpine binding forward of the ski's center of gravity when attached to a downhill ski.
It is another object of this invention to provide a alpine binding which can be removed from a downhill ski in a manner which restores the downhill binding to its same, safely operable condition for downhill skiing.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved alpine binding which enables use of a conventional downhill ski and binding for comfortable walking cross-country or up hills.
Basically, these objects are obtained by providing a bridge over the forward toepiece of a conventional downhill binding and which allows free flexure of the foot for ease of walking in a cross-country or uphill skiing mode. The bridge is removable without interfering with the location or condition of the downhill binding so that once the skier reaches the top of a desired hill, the skier can remove the alpine bridge and return to use of the safe, releasable downhill binding. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the bridge is an elongated platform pivotally mounted to the ski forward of the downhill binding toepiece and is supported between the downhill binding toepiece and heelpiece by a post which freely rests on the downhill ski. Conventional alpine toe and heelpieces are then attached to the platform for mounting either the conventional rigid downhill boot or, if desired, a soft, flexible boot. In another embodiment, the bridge is two separate pieces, including a post and short platform forward of the toepiece. The post is detachably or stationarily mounted, but is rigid in construction and supports only the toe and forward part of the ball of the foot. A separate, detachable, rigid heel support is then positioned between the toepiece and the heelpiece of the downhill binding such that the toe of the boot is then secured to the forward platform but the heel of the boot is allowed to pivot upwardly, away from the stationary rearward platform. As is readily apparent, the skier now can operate the conventional downhill skis in an alpine skiing technique for climbing hills or going cross-country. Yet when an ascent is made, downhill skiing can be resumed by easily removing the alpine bridging attachments.